Learn exactly what the public system will do for your family member.
The Ontario Health at Home program (Home and Community Care Support Services) evaluates your family member to determine what services (e.g. nursing visits, PSW visits etc.) you are entitled to receive without charge to you. However, the hours of public care are usually limited. Therefore, many families find that they need to seek private services to supplement the limited hours of public care.
Step 2 Determine Your True Needs Over a Day
Create a simple 24-hour chart of what your family member actually requires before you start calling agencies for information on services:
Morning:
Getting up from bed
Toileting
Washing
Dressing
Eating breakfast
Midday:
Medication
Meals
Companionship
Exercise/Walking
Evening:
Supper
Night Routine
Transfers Back to Bed
Night Time:
Bathroom Trips
Confusion
Fall Risk
Once you have completed this chart, you will know how well public PSW or Nursing Visits match the needs of your family member and where there are “holes” in the care. The holes are where your family will benefit the most from private caregivers and equipment. If your family member has trouble walking or rolling around within their home, now is probably the right time to consider purchasing a high-quality Hospital Bed For Sale to increase the safety of both the Elderly Individual and their Caregiver when they transfer them, re-position them and care for them at night.
Step 3 Utilize Public Care for Medical Tasks & Private Care for Flexibility
Some families have successfully used a strategy of utilizing Public Care for the medical-related and/or basic Personal Care and private caregivers for flexible and day-to-day support:
Public home care →
Medical related/nursing care
Wound Care
Injection Administration
Limited Physiotherapy
Basic Personal Support Worker visits
Private home care →
Additional hours of support from PSWs/Companion/Caregiver
Assistance Overnight
Medication Preparation
Housekeeping
Flexible Scheduling
Public-based services are generally focused on medical-related and/or basic personal care. Private caregivers can attend to your family member’s daily living needs at extended hours/custom schedules and allow your family members to continue working, participate in hobbies/social events/etc. That would otherwise take a lot of time away from those important parts of their life.
Step 4 Ensure the Home Environment Is Safe Enough for Both Systems to Function
As with having excellent caregivers enhancing the ability to provide a supportive caregiving experience to your family member in their home environment, an unsafe home environment can negate all of the efforts that your family has made. Consider the following factors in developing a safe home environment for your family member:
Clear pathways for walkers/wheelchairs
Bathrooms/Stairways equipped with grab bars
Adequate Lighting Throughout The Home (Especially At Night)
Bed Height & Support Properly Aligned
If your family member lives in Brampton and/or spends time with family members who live in Peel Region, it may be advantageous to acquire a Medical Bed for Sale in Toronto to provide your family member with a stable and secure sleeping environment regardless of whether they reside in Toronto or Peel Region.
Step 5 Coordinate Labs With Mirroring Accompaniment
Not only do we care about and for our clients/people but we also care about and for our tools. There are some basic items that can be borrowed through public programs; however many families prefer to purchase or upgrade their own equipment for better quality and longer durability.
Your optimal combination could include:
Adjustable Hospital Beds for rent
Pressure Relief Mattress & Side Rails (If Medically Required)
Transfer Devices/Lift Poles
Raised Toilet Seats/Shower Chairs/Nonslip Mats
When equipment handles a large portion of the physical labor required to assist your family member, public and private caregivers can focus on supporting your family member with safer transfers/rehabilitation exercises/emotional support instead of always lifting the physical weight.
Many caregivers have found that buying a High Quality Hospital Bed for sale has protected them against back injuries/falls and improved their sleep because of how easily they can position themselves physically.
Step 6 Access Programs Allowing Families To Manage Funding
There are programs available through Ontario such as Family Managed Home Care that allow eligible patients/substitute decision makers to pay for their own workers directly. These types of programs can be quite effective when combined with private services:
Public funding →
Pays for a set number of scheduled hours by yourself
Private Agency/Independent PSWs →
Add additional hours as needed
Family Members →
Fill Gaps
Serve As Overall Plan Supervisor
With proper coordination of these three elements, your Parent/Loved One may consistently see the same handful of people most of the time versus a revolving door of complete strangers.
Step 7 Protect The Main Caregiver From Burn Out
In many Toronto households, there is one person (usually an Adult Child) acting as the “Default Caregiver.”
This Default Caregiver is responsible for managing all of the responsibilities inherent in being a caregiver. Examples include; making doctor’s appointments/contacting public home care agencies/shopping/taking over emergency nighttime duties. Because of the numerous responsibilities resting on them, it is incredibly easy for the Default Caregiver to feel burnt out/resentful.
Using private services strategically as Respite:
Regular private shifts scheduled weekly so that the Primary Caregiver has time to rest
Occasional overnight help following hospitalizations or crises
Short-term increased support during busy times at work or holiday seasons.
If your Parents spend time divided between Toronto and relatives residing in Peel Region, it might be helpful to have at least one safe place for your Parents to sleep in each residence. It may then be part of your long-term planning to purchase a medical bed for sale in Brampton so that care does not collapse when your parents move locations.
Step 8 Maintain Open Lines Of Communication Among All Parties Involved
Combining public and private services along with maintaining open lines of communication among all parties involved will be crucial.
Documenting the care plan/medications with both public/private teams
Tracking all visits/issues/variations – Use Notebook/App
Each caregiver writes down a small note after each time they provide service
Having documentation will enable you to identify repeating patterns — such as increased confusion at night or continued issues with transfers — and make informed decisions regarding increasing hours/equipment/another assessment from Ontario Health at Home.
Both public nurses and private PSWs perform best when they know what other caregivers have done.